Topic 12 - Immunology Flashcards
What does the immune system protect from?
- Bacteria
- Viruses
- Parasites
- Fungi
- Tumor cells
What are the two types of immunity the body utilizes?
- Innate Immunity (first defense line, non-specific response)
- Adaptive Immunity (second defense line, highly specific with memory)
How does active immunity work?
- Antigens enter body and trigger
- Innate and adaptive immune systems
- Provides long term protection
How does passive immunity work?
- Antibodies pass from mother to foetus across the placenta/infant through breast milk
- Provides short term protection
Which cell are the cells of the immune system derived from?
Pluripotent hematopoietic stem cell in bone marrow
What are the two lineages?
- Myeloid
- Lymphoid
Which cells does the myeloid lineage generate?
- Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (neutrophil, eosinophil, basophil)
- Monocyte/macrophages
- Dendritic cells
- Mast cells
Which cells does the lymphoid lineage generate?
B- and T- and natural killer lymphocytes
How are Polymorphonuclear leukocytes or granulocytes characterised?
Multilobed (2 to 5) nuclei and cytoplasmic granules
What are the Polymorphonuclear leukocytes?
- Neutrophils
- Eosinophils
- Basophils
- Monocytes
- Macrophages
- Dendritic cells
- Mast cell
What are neutrophils?
Principal phagocytic cell of innate immunity. Rapidly migrate to sites of infection, ingest microbes by phagocytosis, release oxygen free radicals, degranulate releasing proteins with microbicidal properties e.g. lysozyme
What are eosinophils?
Important defender against multicellular parasites and have a role in allergy and asthma.
What are basophils?
Involved in inflammatory allergic reactions. Releases the potent vasodilator, histamine.
What are monocytes?
- Circulate in blood, bean shaped nuclei, precursors of tissue macrophages.
- Effectors of the inflammatory response to microbes.
- Kills pathogens via phagocytosis, free radical production, myeloperoxidase and inflammatory cytokines.
What are macrophages?
- Derived from blood monocytes
- Participate in innate and adaptive immunity
- Phagocytosis, microbicidal mechanisms, antigen presentation to other cells
What are dendritic cells?
Process and present antigens (antigen presenting cell {APC}) on their cell surface to T-lymphocytes to initiate specific immune responses.